Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
How Conservatives Win In The Government Shutdown Fight Anyway
...
President Barack Obama and Democrats won't cave on Obamacare. But they're poised to cave when it comes to continuing spending at austerity levels ordered by sequestration -- across-the-board cuts put in place by a deal made in the 2011 shutdown threat. And in doing so, they'll surrender important leverage to replace the damaging spending cuts to the military along with programs like health care, education and scientific research.
....
"By extending last year's post-sequester levels, Speaker Boehner is trying to lock those additional spending cuts into place and create a new baseline from which future negotiations must begin," read the CAP brief, written by President Neera Tanden and economic expert Michael Linden. "Having Congress adopt those levels in the short term is likely to make it easier for conservatives to keep those cuts in place for the long term."
The sequester was designed to be a sword of Damocles that forced both parties to strike a deficit-reduction agreement. The cuts were never supposed to be permanent -- neither side liked the thoughtless way they were apportioned. But where Democrats still want to replace it with a mix of targeted spending cuts and new tax revenues, Republicans have decided they'd rather maintain the sequester-level spending than give up even a penny in new taxes.
....
None of this means the battle is a win-win for the GOP. The squabble over Obamacare is hurting the party politically by shining a light on its deep divisions over tactics. It'll hurt Republicans even more if the government shuts down, polls suggest. But on the substance, conservatives are poised to score another victory in the real fight that has torn Washington apart since 2011 -- just months after they were crushed in an election.
And on top of that, the right wing proved that its iron grip on the GOP leaders, particularly in the House, remains as strong as ever, by coercing them into a dead-end Obamacare fight that even they wanted to avoid because they knew it would be irrational and self-defeating for the party. But they're poised to score a big policy victory anyway.
The Firebaggers at TPM
President Barack Obama and Democrats won't cave on Obamacare. But they're poised to cave when it comes to continuing spending at austerity levels ordered by sequestration -- across-the-board cuts put in place by a deal made in the 2011 shutdown threat. And in doing so, they'll surrender important leverage to replace the damaging spending cuts to the military along with programs like health care, education and scientific research.
....
"By extending last year's post-sequester levels, Speaker Boehner is trying to lock those additional spending cuts into place and create a new baseline from which future negotiations must begin," read the CAP brief, written by President Neera Tanden and economic expert Michael Linden. "Having Congress adopt those levels in the short term is likely to make it easier for conservatives to keep those cuts in place for the long term."
The sequester was designed to be a sword of Damocles that forced both parties to strike a deficit-reduction agreement. The cuts were never supposed to be permanent -- neither side liked the thoughtless way they were apportioned. But where Democrats still want to replace it with a mix of targeted spending cuts and new tax revenues, Republicans have decided they'd rather maintain the sequester-level spending than give up even a penny in new taxes.
....
None of this means the battle is a win-win for the GOP. The squabble over Obamacare is hurting the party politically by shining a light on its deep divisions over tactics. It'll hurt Republicans even more if the government shuts down, polls suggest. But on the substance, conservatives are poised to score another victory in the real fight that has torn Washington apart since 2011 -- just months after they were crushed in an election.
And on top of that, the right wing proved that its iron grip on the GOP leaders, particularly in the House, remains as strong as ever, by coercing them into a dead-end Obamacare fight that even they wanted to avoid because they knew it would be irrational and self-defeating for the party. But they're poised to score a big policy victory anyway.
The Firebaggers at TPM
This new baseline should be terrifying to all with a working a brain. It's starting off with half a sandwich (after giving half to someone you can't stand) and then fighting for your half. You're not even going to get half - you're going to go hungry.